The View Of Conduction Great Critique Sessions - 1100 Words

Here is my reading discussion/reflection journal for this week: Article #1 Goods, Bads, and Dailies: Lessons for Conducting Great Critiques Summary The article discuss about the view of conduction great critiques sessions. Pixar Dailies is one of their techniques use in their meeting â€Å"The Chosen One† where it described â€Å"four of the young magicians perform a five-minute routine and then receive critique from the other kids in the group†(). They are 3 roles player into this techniques: presenter, facilitator, and recorders. Each roles play significant concept of providing affirmative constructive criticism. The feedback is controlled in an affirmative and constructive setting â€Å"Good and Bad†. Pixar Dailies have an interesting set up†¦show more content†¦For me, this is an excellent way of continue brainstorming new technique ideas for designs. As well as continue provide feedback on the design. Article #2 â€Å"Paper in Screen† Prototyping: An Agile Technique to Anticipate the Mobile Experience Summary This article discuss about the prototyping that utilizes paper and mobile technology. It describe an idea of translating paper prototype system into a digital execution. You draw a paper prototype, take high-quality pictures of each prototype, edit the images, and organize them into the task scenarios. Paper prototypes provides a â€Å"quick means for testing basic interactivity that may be essential for specific design decision† (Bolchini 31). Reaction This article provide excellent topic on paper prototype transforming into a â€Å"paper in screen† as well as analyze the three approach of prototype: paper, paper in screen, and high-fidelity. However, I rather like to see the author describe more of a paper prototype rather than focus on mobile device. The â€Å"paper-in-screen† offer unique content of a paper view on a screen, but you can’t do much nonetheless swipe to the next screen. In addition, it doesn’t make any mistakes. In the emotion sections of the paper, I also enjoy reading about the relationship of user experience and design. Visceral level â€Å"is the simplest and most important factor of degree† (Bolchini 31). In other word, the look, feel, and sound of the mobile device is important. Article #3 Parallel Prototyping

The World s Oldest Profession For Nothing - 1613 Words

â€Å"Prostitution isn t inherently immoral, any more than running a company like Enron is inherently immoral. It s how you do it that counts. And the reality is that it will happen anyway. It s not called the world s oldest profession for nothing. Why not make it, at the least, safe and productive?† -JEANNETTE ANGELL of A Wellness Perspective on Prostitution, Freedom, Religion, and More, Seek Wellness, Apr. 30, 2005. Prostitution, known as the world s oldest profession, and it exists everywhere. In the event you leave the country, and go to a whole new country, there is a guarantee you would find prostitutes. People say that prostitution is wicked because it is a disgrace to society, and no one should go into that profession, because it can get the prostitutes into dangerous situations. One instance of this that no one takes into consideration, that the girls or guys are making money off of this. If they are making money, then they help the economy the same way anyone is at their job. Prostitution should be more considered as a legalized job. People will not stop, so why not take advantage, and make laws to help protect the men and women. Prostitution is one of the world’s oldest professions, and laws prohibiting prostitution may be the oldest examples of government regulation and government (sex) discrimination (Armentano, 1993). Prostitution also may be illegal, but if you look hard enough in the streets, you can see them. Countries have been arguing to makeShow MoreRelatedPro-Prostitution (The Advantages of Prostitution)1469 Words   |  6 Pagesis the act or practice of engaging in sexual activities in the exchange of money (Dictionary.com). Prostitution is believed by many to be the world?s oldest profession with its roots tracing back to ancient times (Otchet). It is a common belief that prostitutes are only women, but the truth is that prostitutes are predominantly of the female gender. In today?s modern society prostitutes are f rowned upon by society because they see it as being on the same category as drug addiction and homosexualityRead MoreShould Prostitution Be Legalized?1725 Words   |  7 PagesProstitution Should Be Legalized Some say prostitution is the world s oldest profession. Yet, only a small percentage of the world’s government allows it. The legalization of prostitution is a very controversial topic due to many people’s moral beliefs. Prostitutes all over the world are treated as outcasts. A reason for people to be against prostitution could be due to their religious beliefs, moral standpoints, or lack of knowledge over the subject. Many religions state that sex outside of marriageRead MoreMy Grandfather, Cosmo Damiano Depinto895 Words   |  4 Pagesmaking fishing nets. His grandfather, Orazio, had a similar profession in the fishing industry and and worked as a local fisherman. But unfortunately he passed away when a mine blew up while he was fishing in his boat after World War I (1914-1918). His father was in Molfetta, Italy during World War II (1941-1945) when Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler declared war on the United States. By then my grandfather was 6 years old. His oldest brother Orazio (named after his grandfather) was in the BalillaRead MoreThe Importance of Nursing in American Culture Essay1312 Words   |  6 Pagestake care of him or herself. Not only by voicing it, but also by showing it. Nursing in America has evolved throughout the years into the profession that is essential, respected, and admired today. Nursing is one of the oldest known professions in American history (Whelan). As far back as recorded in history, the first example alluding to the inevitable profession of nursing, was a wet nurse. A wet nurse, was someone who had recently lost their baby, just weaned their baby, or was capable of nursingRead MoreThe Life of Prostitution2467 Words   |  10 PagesWomen need to see that there are many other benefits outside in the world, rather than selling their bodies for money. Young women adult are being forced into the industry, while other women feel as if this job is great. Society in a way has influenced women to see only this type of way, to do such things, but we can also help show safer ways. Men are cheating on their wives and spending thousands of money a year thinking nothing of it, and getting away with it. Prostitution can be reduced, and womenRead MoreEssay on Legalization of Prostitution1607 Words   |  7 Pagescurrent way that prostitution is in America, it often makes people consider how it is elsewhere and if a different system of treatment would be more fitting. While being a crime in America, prostitution is legal in several countries all over the world through many different methods. For example, it’s legal in Australia, New Zealand, and the Philippines (1). Denmark women can be prostitutes as long as it’s not their only means of income and shockingly, even places like Israel have legalized prostitutionRead MoreLaw Report Alternative Dispute Resolution ( Adr ) Acas Services1401 Words   |  6 Pageshusband and wife must maintain a friendly relationship, according to offspring, that the end has nothing with the couple s problems.The mediator, in turn, is a stranger to the parties, chosen by mutual agreement, whose main characteristic impartiality. Mediation is now carried on by lawyers, psychologists, social workers, the most sought precisely the intimacy they have with family problems.The mediator s job is to get the parties to dialogue with each other, and this dialogue will arise, of courseRead More Legalize Prostitution Essay2912 Words   |  12 Pages One of the oldest legal debates comes from one of the worlds oldest profession, prostitution, there is no denying that the sex industry has taken international dimensions and is recognized as an economic motor for many countries. As countries around the world debate the merits of legalizing or at least decriminalizing prostitution. The following questions should be addressed. Would legalization reduce some of the inequalities and abuse suffered by the women involved? On the other handRead MoreSimilarities Between Ancient Sumerians And Modern Humans1286 Words   |  6 Pagescould learn the same thing and be successful when they communicated. Aside from studies, tea chers would use physical discipline to correct the student’s faults and inadequacies. This form of punishment within schools was still being used in the early 70’s of today’s society. School for both ancient sumerians and modern humans have had a huge impact on individual’s intelligence in society. The â€Å"sick society† relates to generation gaps between parents and children, drop-outs from school, and war. JustRead MoreEquality Between Men and Women1499 Words   |  6 Pagesmankind never is able to grasp correctly. Of course humans will always search for different solutions to create fairness, but factors such as human greed, ignorance of mass populations, and even biological aspects stagnates the process of equality. The oldest and most relevant discussion on equality lies with the difference of sex; man versus woman. Initially, men, because of their physical superiority, were given the prospects many women never even dreamt to have. Conversely, as time has progressed, women

The Functional to Matrix Transition Free Essays

The Functional to Matrix Transition Karen R. J. White, PMP RECENTLY PARTICIPATED IN A CONSULTING ASSIGNMENT WHICH INVOLVED MOVING A LARGE ITS ORGANIZATION from an old-style functional-department organization structure towards one more friendly to proj- Common Pitfalls ects. We will write a custom essay sample on The Functional to Matrix Transition or any similar topic only for you Order Now The project faced the sorts of challenges that are common when trying to realign organizational structure with the new realities of managing by projects. In addition, there were added cultural barriers because the company was in the financial services sector-a very traditional industry, known for conservatism in management approaches. Project management consultants were called in because, for the first time, the organization was undertaking a multi-year enterprise-wide development program that cut across multiple functional departments, instead of following their old pattern of doing projects within departments. Within the program, several major related projects were being carried out. Clearly, business as usual would not suffice. BASELINE: A FUNCTIONAL/WEAK MATRIX STRUCTURE A Functional/ (Weak) Matrix organizational structure, such as our client company had in place, works well when the focus is on quality and technical expertise. Under this structure, functional managers are responsible for products created within their areas of expertise. The downside: In the company on which this case study was based, it just wasn’t working. And their experience was not uncommon. The functional-based organization structure tends to undermine the authority and decision-making capability of project managers, making project success more difficult. The functional or weak matrix form of organization does have some advantages. In this case, first of all, it was the currently existing state in the client organization. Change is always traumatic in organizations and, to the extent that we could preserve existing processes and systems, the upheaval-and resistance to it-would be minimized. Functional â€Å"stovepipe† organizations take a beating in discussions of optimal organizational structure, but the fact is that they are familiar to people, and thus comfortable for them. In addition, within this structure, IT and IS departments are fully empowered to complete isolated projects within their own â€Å"stovepipes. The client organization already possessed well-established communications processes and authorities within the functional areas. From a purely logistical point of view, the staff work locations were already centralized around functional department assignments, making information sharing among team members more straightforward. There are also serious drawbacks to this organizational structure, however. For instance, communications and decision-making processes existed outside the p rogram structure, contributing to schedule and budget issues. For the same reason, true accountability rested outside the programs, somewhere in the traditional hierarchy of the corporation. For example, executive functional management, who were in fact somewhat removed from the actual conditions of the programs, made all the important decisions. Budget and contracting authority was reserved for the CIO level. Under this very traditional structure, only formal authority-something the project managers did not have-was recognized as a source of power. The client organization had made some strides in moving past a purely functional hierarchy, towards a matrix organization. A Project Management Office (PMO) had been implemented the year before my involvement began-a year after the program was launched. Unfortunately, this meant that proper attention had not been paid to project management issues during the initial planning stages of the program. Phone: 610. 853. 3679 n www. pmsolutions. com n Fax: 610. 853. 0527 EXPERT SERIES The Functional to Matrix Transition Page 2 of 4 Instead of creating a PMO to manage the program, the existing program was inserted into a PMO. However, since the PMO lacked authority for decisions and communications, accountability was problematic. As an example, program budgets and staffing decisions were made within functional organizations, not within the programs themselves and resources were not accountable to programs for deliverables. Programs were initiated by functional departments, making any kind of strategic alignment or project prioritization (portfolio management) problematic. And because project teams ithin programs were organized by functional department, not by deliverable, the physical and organizational barriers between project teams impeded communications. THE OTHER EXTREME The Project (Strong) Matrix organization, at the other end of the organization-structure spectrum, works well for crash efforts, where the focus is on cost and, especially, schedule. These types of project-based organizations are sometimes n icknamed â€Å"Skunkworks† after the Lockheed-Martin aerospace project that made this approach famous. The Strong Matrix is an organizational form beloved of project managers and organizational design theorists. To be sure, this model offers many advantages from the project management standpoint:  · It concentrates complete authority for decisions affecting a project or program within the project or program itself, which simplifies decision-making.  · Program budgets and staffing decisions are made within the programs.  · Staff members have a single manager to please and answer to.  · Resources are accountable to program for deliverables and performance.  · Clear communications paths exist. However, in the real world of our client organization, the Project/Strong Matrix model carried several disadvantages. Limited resources in certain key technical and business areas meant that there simply were not enough people to create dedicated program or project teams, and it was deemed too time-consuming to recruit and/or train additional staff. The existing staff was in dispersed geographical locations with staff not able to relocate. All in all, moving to this form was just too drastic a change for the organization. THE MIDDLE GROUND Thus, our choice in establishing a more project-friendly environment was the â€Å"Balanced Matrix† structure . This structure strives to hit all the bases. Cost, schedule and quality are considered of equal importance. The balance between these considerations is achieved through continuous negotiations and tradeoffs. Given the resource limitations existing within the client organization, we deemed it the best model as well as the most practicable, despite certain inherent disadvantages, such as the need for increased communications and resource negotiations between project managers and functional managers, the added complexity in status reporting and staff management activities, and the need for modified roles and responsibilities in IT and business functional departments. The most significant impact of the new model was the extent to which we revised Roles and Responsibilities. IT functional management now shared joint staff management with program management and had to coordinate with program management in the areas of standards and process implementation. Business functional management also shared joint staff management with program management. Phone: 610. 853. 3679 n www. pmsolutions. com n Fax: 610. 853. 0527 EXPERT SERIES The Functional to Matrix Transition Page 3 of 4 Program management staff had far more â€Å"hands-on† involvement in program activities, as well as increased accountability for staff performance and coordination of related issues with functional man agement. Program Team Members now had multiple managers with whom to coordinate absences. TRANSITION STEPS 1. Assign Project Managers. We introduced project managers from the PMO to replace functional man agers with project management responsibilities, except in those cases where we retained functional leads as part of matrix. We did this when the department managers or supervisors were the ideal choice for supervision project activities because they were the strongest technical person in that area. Once the project leaders were assigned we identified deliverables and associated accountabilities for each project team. 2. Re-define Roles and Responsibilities. We established a policy statement and matrix document that clearly identified the project manager and functional manager roles and responsibilities. 3. Revise Resource Staffing Processes. By involving functional management in project initiation activities-recognizing that functional managers often have the best insight into the skills and limitations of staff members-we made the process of assigning resources to roles more collaborative. We also instituted a formal requisition process for internal resources. 4. Revise Performance Management Processes. We implemented revised performance management processes. Project managers were added to the performance development process training classes and required to provide periodic performance-related information to functional managers. At the same time, functional managers now shared individual goals and objectives with project managers, seeking to align project assignments with objectives. Functional managers continued to administer performance development processes. 5. Establish a Communications Plan. We developed a comprehensive program communications plan identifying who reports what to whom, and when. We acknowledged the information needs of the functional management team by including them in the communications plan. Project websites were established to facilitate communications. 6. Obtain Senior Executive Support. Senior executive support for changes was secured. We instituted an active steering committee. In addition, we established clear support at the CIO level for the Program and Project Manager roles and their authorities. These steps ensured alignment of functional and program goals: functional managers support the programs, which in turn implement the business goals. LESSONS LEARNED The matrix organization will meet resistance; plan for it. Lesson #1 – Program Organization. Make deliberate decisions about program and project organization when chartering the program. Determine the important constraints for the program, know the different organizational structures available and deliberately select the one that best fits your situation. Consider geographical locations when forming teams; try to maintain team integrity within a single location. Lesson #2 – Roles Responsibilities. Clearly define the roles and responsibilities of all vested parties, including functional managers providing resources to projects. Obtain agreement and sign-off on individual roles and responsibilities as part of each project chartering activity. Phone: 610. 853. 679 n www. pmsolutions. com n Fax: 610. 853. 0527 EXPERT SERIES The Functional to Matrix Transition Page 4 of 4 Lesson #3 – Communications Plan. Develop a comprehensive plan that considers communication needs both inside and outside the program. Consider horizontal communication flows in addition to vertical communication flows. Do not ignore the information needs of the organization as a whole. Les son #4 – Continuous assessment. Reinforce the transition by continually monitoring the processes and climate of the organization. This is an ongoing challenge, not a one-time event. When a crisis arises, the organization will tend to lapse back into functional management accountability, as opposed to staying within program structure. Pay close attention to the communications and collaboration aspects of the program; reinforce use of the agreed upon communications plan. Remain sensitive to the communication needs of multiple geographic sites, if any. You will need to provide continuous learning and reinforcement, since functional managers are still learning to include project managers in staffing decisions, while project managers are still learning to include functional managers in problem resolution activities. Don’t be afraid to change! Question how you are organized; make sure the status quo fits with the work that needs to be done. Maybe you won’t change everything, but little regular tweak at organizational structure will keep it vital. Every six months or so, ask â€Å"Does it make sense today? † Prepared for presentation at ProjectWorld, October 2001 Phone: 610. 853. 3679 n www. pmsolutions. com n Fax: 610. 853. 0527 How to cite The Functional to Matrix Transition, Papers

Hurricane Mitch hit Central America at the end of Essay Example For Students

Hurricane Mitch hit Central America at the end of Essay October 1998 killing 10,000 people and throwing the lives of another two and a half million into turmoil. Honduras one of the poorest countries in the western hemisphere took the worst of the storm and now faces years of dependence on international aid just as it was beginning to find its economic feet.(megastories.com). Hurricane Mitch grew to become the Atlantic basins fourth strongest hurricane ever with sustained winds of 180 mph September 26 into early September 27, 1998. It was the strongest storm in the western Caribbean since Hurricane Gilbert in 1988. Mitch stalled off the coast of Honduras from late on Oct. 27 until the evening of Oct. 29 before moving slowly inland. As the storms winds weakened it continued dumping heavy rain on Central America, causing floods and mud slides that had been blamed for at least 10,000 deaths by Nov. 2. On Nov. 3, Mitchs ghostly remains entered the southern Gulf of Mexico and warm waters rejuvenated the system into a tropical storm. Mitch then barreled through southern Florida early Nov. 5 before finally becoming extra tropical at 4 p.m. EST, Nov. 5(USAToday.com). In the end of the month of October of 1998, Hurricane Mitch tore through Central America. Honduras took the hardest hit. Many things have been tried for raising money, but the most effective of those is charity. Surely, the Honduran Government will receive aid from the international agencies and such, but the charity will have to raise the most of the money. Some say that even with all of the agencies in the world helping to raise money for the Hondurans, it will take four years to raise enough to put them back in the state they were in before this tragic storm ripped through their country. Aid agencies are a familiar sight in Honduras but they are not always welcome. For over two decades, teams of outsiders have been pouring into one of the poorest countries in the region to offer a helping hand to more than half the country living in poverty and without access to fresh water. The problem is, sometimes, they do more harm than good. Teams have moved into villages in the past like tourists on a day trip, bringing money and hope to local people and walking out when things dont go to plan. Kristina Stevens, a former U. S. peace corps worker, finished building a clean water system in the small western coffee town of Santa Maria just six weeks before Hurricane Mitch. She found a trail of destruction left by aid efforts before her: Which comes first, the poverty or the disasters and wouldnt it be easier and even cost less to set people up with what they need rather than wait to patch up the pieces when thousands of lives have been torn to shreds? Truly, who can believe something such as this statement. If the country had been prepared for such an attack then the country would be in an even greater debt than they are as is. Then we would have to raise enough money to bring them back up to a level that we are at because that is what they would be used to by then. No , if a country is going to be attacked by a hurricane, it is better for them to have a storm shelter system so that they can hide from it. How well the homes of the people is not the issue. The issue is how many people will die because of poor education in emergency survival. The people of Honduras will be brought back up with the help of other countries. It will take time though, all that we can do about that is to give money for these agencies to help the Honduran population to bounce back up and build better and stronger. This is not a wall it is just a large stepping stone. .